Apparatus for making oil-gas.



Patented July I, I902.

R. DEMPSTER.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING OIL GAS.

gApplication filed Nov. 5, 1901.)

(No Modl.)

I I I himmz ys fioZerifiem vsizmmm. by 1 Wa s M No. 703,90| Patented July I902.

R. DEMPSTEB.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING OIL GAS.

(Application filed Nov. 5, 1901. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet 2" NITJED STATES ATENT FFICE.

HENRY H. BURNS, AND NORMAN MORROW, OF MARIETTA, OHIO.

APPARATUS MAK ING OIL-GAS.

srEcIFIcATIoN forming-part ofL-etters Patent No. 703,9 O1,dated July 1, 1 902. A pplicationfiled Novemherb, 1901. Serial No. 81,248. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT DEMPsTER, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Marietta,in the county of Washington and State of Ohio, have inventeda new and usefulApparatus for Vaporizing Liquids, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for vaporizing liquids,and is intended principally for the formation of a fixed gas from liquid hydrocarbons of any character.

One object of the invention is to provide a retort-vaporizer having or containing a lin- I 5 ing or packing of asbestos, which is saturated with oil or oily vapor, the particles of hydrocarbon being broken up in order that they may more thoroughly and effectually be operated upon by the heat.

A-further object of the invention is to so construct the device as-to prevent the escape of any of the hydrocarbon in liquid form into the main retort, which is subjected to the direct action of the heat, the tarry matter and carbonaceous residuum being retained within a primary vaporizing-chamber having an outlet through which it may be readily removed as from time to time may become necessary. v V

A still further object of the invention is to prevent the manufactured gas from carrying off any uncombinedcarbon, this being effected by straining or filtering the gas through asb'estosor similar fibrous material before it 5 reaches the escape-pipe.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangementof parts hereinafter more particularly described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a vaporizing apparatus constructed in aocordance'with my invention. Fig. 2.is atransversesectional elevation' of the-same on theline 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation of one of the retorts drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a 5o perheater on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

anenlarged sectional elevation of the gas-escape pipe leadingfrom the superheater.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings.

7 10designates a cast-iron retort of rectangular form in cross-section and provided at each of its ends with upwardly-extending gasoutlets 11, through which the gas escapes to an upper superheating chamber 12. The number of retorts 1O employed depends entirely on the capacity of the apparatus. In the present instance I have shown five retorts extending parallel with each other, a space being left between each of the retorts for the passage of the products of combustion arising from a mass of. fuel to be supported by a lower grate 13.

The ends of the retort are provided with removable covers 14, having inner flanges 15, acting partiallyas guides and partly to hold the covers in position. The covers are firmly clamped in place by longitudinal bolts 16, extending from end to'end of the retort and having securing-nuts 17 at one or both ends to bind the doors firmly in place. The covers or doors may be provided with packing at their edges or may be luted in the usual manner. On the inner side of each cover 14 is an annular rib 18, forming a 'support or socket for the reception of the end of a pipe 19, said pipe being of such length as to be firmly clamped when the bolts 16 are tightened. The pipe 19 is provided on its upper side with aseries of perforations 20, extending throughout the entire length of said pipe. An oilsupply pipe 21 is arranged at the front of the vaporizer, and to said pipe is connected a series of smaller pipes 22, each being tapped into a recess or opening in the retort-covers immediately in line with the pipe 19. Each pipe 22 is provided with a separate needlevalve 23, by which the fiow'of oil may be governed, or in case of the clogging ofrthe pipe or of the pipe 19 by the accumulation of the 5 heavierhydrocarbons the needle-valve of said pipe may be temporarily closed Without interfering with the manufacture of gas in. the remaining retorts. On the inner side of the door or cover within the pipe 19 is a short I00 pipe-section 22 in alinement with the pipe 22 and provided at its inner end with a cap.

or cover 23, having a minute orifice or opening through which the liquid hydrocarbon passes into the tube 19. At the rear cover of each retort is a valved pipe 24 in alinement with the pipe 19 and so arranged as to permit of the withdrawal of tar and such other heavy hydrocarbons as may accumulate in said pipe 19.

Surrounding the pipe 19 is a perforated pipe 19 of such diameter as to leave an annular interspace, in which I place a quantity of loose asbestos fiber, the ends of said pipes being supported on the outer edge or rim of the annular rib 18, and as a further support and to prevent any escape of gas through the ends of the pipe I employ metallic packing-rings 20 between said pipes 19 and 19.

Supported on the bottom of the retort and extending over the pipe 19 is a shield or cover 25, formed of wire-gauze or foramina'ted sheet metal, the gauze or metal being arched, as shown more clearly in the drawings.

Supported by the arched gauze 25 is a second sheet of gauze 26, bent into substantially semicircular form in cross-section and so arranged as to form at the top of the retort a gas-passage to permit of the escape of the gas from the retort to the vertical passages 11 at the opposite ends thereof. The space inclosed by the gauze 25 and the spaces formed between the gauze sections 25 and l 26 are filled with asbestos, the asbestos being first prepared by loosening its fibers and then packing the fibers very loosely within such spaces. The sheets of gauze serve to hold the asbestos fiberin place, and the upper sheet of gauze is so arranged as to at all times preserve an open and free passage for the gas to the opposite ends of the retort.

The superheater 12 acts as a crown-sheet for the furnace and at each of its ends is provided with a series of downwardly-projecting neck portions 25, adapted to enter the vertical passages 11, extending upwardly from the opposite ends of the retorts to the superheater. The opposite sides of the superheater are provided with a series of vertical passages 27,

forming fines for the passage of the products of combustion, the burning gases arising from the mass of fuel passing between and around all of the retorts and after striking the lower face of the superheater passing through the side passages 27 and finally escaping through an outlet-flue 27.

The retorts are firmly secured at each end to the vaporizer by U-shaped bolts 28, the lower central portions of which pass under cross-bars 29 in. the vertical passages of the retort, the upper portions of said bolts extending through the top of the superheater and being provided with suitablenuts 30.

The arrangement of the fines or passages 27 divides the sides of the superheater into a series of rectangular chambers 31, the outer ends of which are closed by removable coverplates 32, held in position by bolts 33, extending transversely through the superheater and passing through alinin g cover-plates 32 at opposite sides of said superheater. The removal of these doors permits of the cleaning of the superheater should there be any accumulations of carbonaceous matter.

In the uptakes 11, leading from the opposite ends of the retort, are placed wire screens 32, between which is placed a quantity of loose asbestos fiber 33, through which the escaping gas is filtered in order to prevent the escape of any free carbon.

In the superheater is arranged a gas-outlet .pipe 34, perforated at suitable intervals and coupled at one end to a pipe 34, which may lead to a suitable gasometer or, if desired, to'

a washer or purifier, although I have found in practice that the gas as it escapes from the superheater isfixed gas of high illuminating power and containing little or no free carbon.

In order to more thoroughly filter and purify the gas, theoutlet-pipe 34 is surrounded by a perforated pipe 35, and between said pipes 34 and 35 is placed a filling of loose asbestos fiber, which further strains and filters the escaping gas.

The various retorts and the superheater being bolted together form a rigid structure which is held in position within a furnace-- casing constructed in any desired manner,

but preferably formed of a number of independent sections which may be readily taken apart when the apparatus is to be shipped, said sections being of such character as to dispense with the employment of the usual firebrick.

The preferred form of casing is made of four main sections comprising end walls 36 and 37 and side walls 38 and 39, shaped to conform to the general outline of the furnace, and each end wall having an ash-pit door 40, the feed-door 41, and a door 42, which may be opened to gain access to the ends of the retort. This latter door is preferably made in sections, owing to the arrangement of the pipes 22 and 24. Each section of the casing is provided with a large number of openings 44, countersunk on the inner side to prevent ashes lodging in the hole, and over all of the casing extends a sheet-iron casing 45, separated from the sections 36, 37, 38, and 39 by a continuous air-space to prevent to a considerable extent the heating of such outer casing.

In the operation of the device liquid hydrocarbon is fed from any suitable support of supply through pipe 21 and each of the pipes 22 through the perforated pipes 19 in the interior of the retorts 10, the oil being forced in a minute stream through the perforations in the caps 23'. Fuel having been applied to the grate-bars 13 and the retorts heated to a greater or less degree, the radiated heat will vaporize the oil contained within the preliminary vaporizing chambers or retorts 19, forming a heavy vapor containing all of the lighter hydrocarbons and some of the heavy hydrocarbons, said vapor passing out through the asbestos contained in the space between the pipes 19 and 19 and escaping through the perforations in the latter pipe to the retort 10. The heavy vapor will be broken up by the fibrous asbestos and being minutely and more intimately in contact with a heated surface will be rapidly and thoroughly gasified and finally escape through the outlet 11 into the superheater 12. The asbestos is highly heated and owing to its fibrous nature forms a very extensive surface for contact with the heavy vapor, insuring the rapid formation of a practically fixed gas. Should the gas retain any free carbon, the asbestos strainer or filter in the uptakes 11 will purify it before its entrance to the superheater 12. Owing to the greater heat in the superheater the gas will become permanently fixed, and should it still retain any free carbon such carbon will be removed during the final passage of the gas through the filtering medium formed by the asbestos contained between the pipes and 34.

7 The device is of such character that it may readily be taken apart for cleaning, and the arrangement of the primary vaporizing-tube 19 is such that the larger proportion of the heavier hydrocarbon will remain in such tube, from whence they may be withdrawn through the discharge-pipe 24C.

The structure may be modified in a variety of ways, and its proportions may be altered.

to increase or decrease the quantity of gas manufactured, and the minor details of con struction may be altered to accommodate various requirements of use without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is 1. In a device of the class specified, a retort, means for heating the same, a perforated pipe centrally disposed within said retort and forming a primary vaporizing-chamber, an oil-feeding device situated at one end of said pipe, and a second perforated pipe surrounding said primary vaporizing-chamber.

2. In a device of the class specified, a retort, means for heating the same, two concentrically-arranged perforated pipes arranged within said retort, and devices for supplying a liquid hydrocarbon to the inner of said pipes, substantially as specified.

3. In a device of the class specified, a retort, means for heating the same, two concentrically-arranged and perforated pipes located within said retort, means for supplying liquid hydrocarbon to the inner pipe, and a packing or filling of asbestos fiber arranged in the space between said pipes.

at. In a device of the class specified, a retort, a filling of asbestos fiber arranged within the retort, means for heating the retort, two concentrically-disposed pipes arranged within said retort and perforated for the passage of oily vapor, and means for supplying liquid hydrocarbon to the inner of said pipes.

5. In a device of the class specified, a retort having an asbestos filling, a reticulated shield or guard for confining said filling in place, a perforated primary vaporizing-chamber located within said retort, means for supplying liquid hydrocarbon to said primary vaporizing-chamber, and means for heating the retort.

6. In a device of the class specified, a retort having a filling of asbestos fiber, reticulated screens arranged within the retort and adapted to hold the fiber in positionand to form a free gas-passage, a perforated primary vaporizing-chamber located within said retort, means for supplying liquid hydrocarbon to said primary vaporizingchamber, and means for heating said retort.

7. In a device-of the class specified, a retort having a filling of asbestos fiber, two concentrically-disposed and perforated tubes arranged centrally Within the retort, the space between said tubes being filled with asbestos fiber, means for supplying liquid hydrocarbon to the inner of said tubes, and means for heating said retort.

8. In a device of the class specified, a retort having a filling of asbestos fiber, reticulated screens for confining said fiber in position, two concentrically-disposed perforated tubes arranged centrally within the retort, the space between said tubes being filled with asbestos fiber, means for supplying liquid hydrocarbon to the inner of said tubes, and means for heating said retort.

9. Tuna device of the class specified, a retort, means for heating the same, a perforated tube arranged centrally within said retort and forming a primary vaporizing-cham her, and an oil-feed tube extending partly I within said perforated tube and having a reduced-end discharge-opening.

10. In a device of the class specified, the combination with a retort, of a superheater arranged above and connected with the retort, and a filtering-screen formed of asbestos fiber arranged in the passage between the retort and the superheater.

11. In an oil-gas apparatus, a retort, a primary vaporizing chamber arranged within the same, a superheater disposed above and connected with the retort, reticulated screens arranged in the passage between the retort and the superheater, and a filteringbed, formed of asbestos fiber, arranged between said reticulated screens, substantially as specified.

12. In a gas apparatus, a superheater, a perforated escape-pipe arranged therein, a second perforated pipe arranged around the escape-pipe, and an asbestos filling disposed in the space between said pipes, substantially as specified.

l3. Ina device of the class specified, a superheater, two concentrically-disposed and I my own I have hereto affixed my signature in perforated pipes arranged Within said heater, the presence of two witnesses an asbestos fiber formin a packin or filling in the space between said pipes, 231d a gas ROBERT DEMPSTER 5 escape pipe connected to the inner of said Witnesses:

O. E. DOYLE.

concentric pipes. l FRANK S. APPLEMAN,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 

